The Google-Microsoft patent war of words is continuing. Yesterday, Google (rightfully so, in my book) accused Apple, Microsoft, and Oracle partaking in an organised patent attack against Android, instead of competing on merit, claiming that they bought up Novell's and Nortel's patents solely to attack Android and its device makers. Microsoft struck back, claiming Google was offered to join in on the bids for the Novell patents, but rejected the offer. Google has now responded to this accusation - and to make matters even more confusing, Microsoft responded back. A public shouting match between two powerful parties? Count me in!

Pretty much all "innovation" in software is mostly combining existing implementations or ideas into something else, or in a certain way.

This.

If software patents existed at the time the first "Hello, world" app was written, that person could have effectively blocked any advancements in application development for the next 20 some odd years.

Software development, much as with any creative work, does not occur in a vacuum. It is influenced by ideas and works that occurred before it, and often builds or improves upon those ideas further. Steve Jobs himself has admitted in the past that stealing great ideas is a smart thing to do.

Talk to any successful author, musician, screenwriter whatever, and they can all cite other creators that inspire and influence their work.

If a software developer tried that, they'd be hauled into court on some patent violation or another.